eceive
it. Anty, however, before signing her own settlement, was particularly
careful that nothing should be done, injurious to her brother's
interest, and that no unfair advantage should be taken of his absence.

Martin, too, was quiet enough on the occasion. It was arranged that
he and his wife, and at any rate one of his sisters, should live at
Dunmore House; and that he should keep in his own hands the farm near
Dunmore, which old Sim had held, as well as his own farm at Toneroe.
But, to tell the truth, Martin felt rather ashamed of his grandeur. He
would much have preferred building a nice snug little house of his own,
on the land he held under Lord Ballindine; but he was told that he
would be a fool to build a house on another man's ground, when he had a
very good one ready built on his own. He gave way to such good advice,
but he did not feel at all happy at the idea; and, when going up to the
house, always felt an inclination to shirk in at the back-way.

But, though neither the widow nor Martin triumphed aloud at their
worldly prosperity, the two girls made up for their quiescence. They
were full of nothing else; their brother's fine house--Anty's great
fortune; their wealth, prosperity, and future station and happiness,
gave them subjects of delightful conversation among their friends. Meg.
moreover, boasted that it was all her own doing; that it was she who
had made up the match; that Martin would never have thought of it but
for her,--nor Anty either, for the matter of that.

"And will your mother be staying down at the shop always, the same as
iver?" said Matilda Nolan, the daughter of the innkeeper at Tuam.

"'Deed she says so, then," said Jane, in a tone of disappointment; for
her mother's pertinacity in adhering to the counter was, at present,
the one misery of her life.

"And which of you will be staying here along with her, dears?" said
Matilda. "She'll be wanting one of you to be with her, any ways."

"Oh, turn about, I suppose," said Jane.

"She'll not get much of my company, any way," said Meg. "I've had
enough of the nasty place, and now Martin has a dacent house to put
over our heads, and mainly through my mains I may say, I don't see why
I'm to be mewing myself up in such a hole as this. There's room for her
up in Dunmore House, and wilcome, too; let her come up there. Av she
mains to demain herself by sticking down here, she may stay by herself
for me."

"But you'll take your turn, Meg?